As in the opening of Masterpiece Theatre, we PAN ACROSS LEATHER-BOUND
VOLUMES (including some Collected Nietzsche, Joseph Campbell, Tolkein, and
bound editions of BATMAN and SPIDER-MAN comics) to find ANDREW sitting in
a leather chair in front of a cozy fire in a fireplace. He wears a fancy
smoking jacket, holds a pipe and studies an open volume on his lap. He
looks up and "discovers" the audience.

ANDREWOh! Hello there, gentle viewers!

He closes the book on his lap.

ANDREW (cont'd)You caught me catching up on an
oldfavorite. It's wonderful to get lostin a story, isn't it?
Adventure andheroics and discovery, don't theyjust take you away?
Mmm.

In a momentary reverie, he tries puffing on his pipe, but coughs a
little, uncomfortably.

ANDREW (cont'd)Come with me now, if you will,
gentleviewers. Join me on a new voyage ofthe mind, a little tale I
like tocall: "Buffy, A Slayer of theVampires."

Andrew sets his pipe aside, folds his hands and settles in as if he'll
be watching with us.

EXT. CEMETERY - NIGHT

We're in the cemetery with BUFFY as she patrols, apparently alone.

ANDREW (V.O.)It was cold last night, and the windwas
cruel. But the Slayer had a jobto do...

Buffy stops at the head of an EMPTY GRAVE (she's looking over the
headstone at the broken earth).

We see her from behind as a shadow falls over her back. She doesn't
know it but there's someone behind her!

Buffy is way ahead of us, however. She throws herself forward -- doing
a HEADSTAND ON THE HEADSTONE... her feet kicking up to knock the VAMPIRE
(in VAMP-FACE) back. Then she FLIPS HERSELF OVER AND TWISTS, ending up
standing on the headstone, facing the supine vamp.

She uses a SPECIALLY-ADAPTED CROSSBOW to LAUNCH a stake at the vampire.

The vampire DUSTS.

ANDREW (cont'd; V.O.)Unfortunately, vampires have a job
todo too...

A SECOND VAMP jumps from the shadows and sweeps Buffy's feet out from
under her. She falls painfully onto her back, right on the headstone,
then, limply, to the ground.

INT. ELEGANT STUDY - NIGHT

Back to Andrew in front of the fireplace.

ANDREWOuch. My goodness. Things look badfor the Slayer,
don't they? Shedidn't see that second vampire,concealed by cover
of darkness, ready-

BOOM... the sound of someone pounding on a door. Andrew, rattled, tries
to keep going...

ANDREW (cont'd)Ready to attack and make her his
ownvampiric spawn--

BOOM... BOOM...

INT. SUMMERS' HOUSE - BATHROOM - DAY

Suddenly we're not in an elegant study. We're in the bathroom, where
Andrew is seated (fully clothed -- something other than his black shirt)
on the closed toilet lid, talking into a video camera that is propped on
the counter.

This is the continuation of Buffy's encounter with vampires in the
cemetery last night.

Buffy is lying, hurt and seemingly unconscious, on the ground. The
SECOND VAMPIRE looms over her.

He kneels next to her, then goes for her neck... We lose sight of Buffy
behind him...

Until he DUSTS, revealing Buffy, holding a stake.

Buffy jumps to her feet.

ANDREW (V.O.)That was great! I completely got youdusting
that guy on film! Hey, whydo vampires show up on video?

Another angle reveals Andrew standing with his camera, filming Buffy.

VIDEO INSERT -- We see what Andrew is filming.

Buffy glares at Andrew.

BUFFYI told you, I don't want you doingthat. It's
distracting.

OUT OF VIDEO

Buffy walks away. Andrew scampers after her.

ANDREWI'll cut this footage together and dothe intro
tomorrow. "She was a womanin danger... or was she?"

BUFFYAre you still filming me? Stopfilming me!

ANDREWBut the story needs...

INT. SUMMERS' HOUSE - HALLWAY - CONTINUING

Anya is dragging Andrew out of the bathroom by his arm. He is still
holding the camera. Three N.D. Potentials are waiting in the hallway, in
their robes and pjs. One of them quickly ducks into the bathroom and
closes the door.

ANDREW...to be told!

ANYAAnd birds need to fly and girls needto use the toilet. Why
were youvideotaping yourself anyway? Soundslike kinky business to
me.

ANDREWThe world is going to want to knowabout Buffy. It's a
story ofultimate triumph tinged withbitterness for what has been
lost inthe struggle. This is a document forthe ages, for future
generations.

ANYAThey were always my best feature,even as a demon.
Other demons wouldcomment.

INT. SUMMERS' HOUSE - BASEMENT - DAY - VIDEO

This scene is entirely VIDEO It's Andrew, not necessarily in the same
outfit he's wearing before and after this scene. He stands next to the
"big board" from the previous episode, and talks into camera. There is a
map of Sunnydale on the board.

ANDREWLet's explore the world of our story,shall we? This
is SunnydaleCalifornia. Buffy, a Slayer of thevampires, lives here
in Sunnydale.Which is good because there is aHellmouth under the
town. Right here.(points)No wait.(points again)Here. Under
the high school. AHellmouth is a source for, like, darkenergy.
Weird things happen on aHellmouth. It also attracts allkinds of
bad people and demons andvampires.

He points to a drawing of a demon taped to the board.

ANDREW (cont'd)Grrr. Arghh. So that's the kind ofthing
Buffy's up against, gentleviewers. And right now theparticular
evil thing that's hangingaround is, like, the worst ever.It's
called The First and it canappear as anyone it likes. Which
isappalling. It's a good thing sheknows what she's doing. Yes it
is.

INT. SUMMERS' HOUSE - KITCHEN / DINING ROOM - DAY

It's breakfast time in America. WILLOW, XANDER, DAWN, Anya, KENNEDY,
RONA, AMANDA AND THREE ND POTENTIALS are milling around in the kitchen,
making and eating breakfast -- cold cereal all around. Andrew stands with
his camera, filming it all, and narrating.

ANDREWIt's morning in Sunnydale and the--

RONAWho the hell's got the low-fat milk?

Andrew sighs and starts over...

ANDREWIt's morning in Sunnydale and thewomen of command
central take thetime to fortify themselves for theday ahead.

XANDERHey.

ANDREWWomen and Xander.(to Xander)I'm gonna do a special
intro for youlater. The man who is the heart ofthe Slayer machine.

XANDER(interested)Yeah? The heart?

ANDREWThings are tense in command centralthis morning. Buffy is
clearlyconcerned about some unknown danger,and the air is filled
with foreboding.

DAWNWe're out of raisin bran.

ANYAI'll put it on the list.

ANDREWThat's probably not the unknowndanger.

Buffy and SPIKE enter. Spike is in his long coat, looking very sullen
and cool.

SPIKELook at this place. Damn girls'dorm, s'what it
is.

Spike lights a cigarette, irritating everyone around him.

DAWN(re: cigarette)Nice. Second-hand stinkiness.

Angle on Andrew, who's looking into the camera.

ANDREWIt's a full house. I think it's agood time for some
introductions,don't you, gentle viewers?

Amanda waves at the camera:

AMANDAI'm Amanda and I grew up right here--

ANDREWNot you, sweetheart. Let's start atthe top.

Andrew points his camera toward Buffy as she pours milk onto her
cereal.

FANTASY-SHOT OF BUFFY. Not Video. Slo-mo. The sound drops out. She's
still pouring milk, but now a wind is blowing her hair back (and blowing
the pouring milk off to the side), She takes her hair down and shakes it
out like a shampoo commercial... everything is extra glossy. MUSIC.

SPIKE ENTERS BUFFY'S FANTASY SHOT. He looks great too, slo- motiony and
inexplicably shirtless. She turns toward him, looking up at him, a hand on
his chest... the wind blowing them like a romance book cover.

ANDREW (cont'd; V.O.)Buffy and Spike have some kind
ofhistory. You can feel the heatbetween them, although technically
asa vampire he's room-temperature.

Anya steps through the shot on her way to the sink, and the camera
follows her...

FANTASY-SHOT OF ANYA as she dumps her cereal-milk into the sink. Slo-mo
as she turns to laugh at something someone says to her.

ANDREW (cont'd; V.O.)Anya. A feisty waif with a
fierytemper and a vulnerable heart thatshe hides even from
herself.

RONAI don't know. If we save the world,it will be nice to have
a record ofit.

AMANDAAnd if we don't, well, I guessnothing matters.

KENNEDYLovely attitude.

BUFFYCome on, no one else thinks this isidiotic? We're the Army
of theSlayer, not the Army of the SlayerFilm School.

XANDERBut it is kind of a shame you keepsaving the world and
there's not anyproof.

ANYAYeah. For future generations.

WILLOWAnd it helps the girls with theirtraining, you know,
reviewing thetapes.

BUFFYSomeone must agree with me on this.Spike?

SPIKELong's he's not pointin' that thingat me, seems like a
fine way to keepthe boy busy.

BUFFYThis is not about keeping busy! Thisis about WAR!

Buffy slams her bowl down on the counter. Everyone jumps and looks at
her. Andrew moves to frame her properly, to capture this moving moment.

BUFFY (cont'd)Okay, everybody, I've got to talk toyou.
There's something new...something I haven't told you.Amanda, Dawn,
you're staying hometoday. You have to get ready. Noone here is
ready. We can allsurvive what's coming. But we can'tdo it the way
we are now. See...there's something on the way...

Andrew loses interest in the speech and starts to back out of the room,
still holding up the camera and filming Buffy.

Alone in the dining room, Andrew turns the camera back to himself. We
can still hear Buffy talking, muffled, in the background, but we can't
make out the words anymore.

ANDREW(softly)Honestly, gentle viewers,
thesemotivating speeches of hers get alittle long. I'll take you
back inthere a little later. In the inbetween-time, I thought you
mightwant to know a little about me, yourhumble host. I'm a man
with aburden, a man with a dark past...

INT. SCIENCE LAB - DAY

Andrew, WARREN and JONATHAN stand at a chemistry lab bench. They all
wear protective goggles. Andrew is explaining a complex set-up of steaming
beakers and tubes...

ANDREWThus, the validity of the Bronsted-Debye-Huckel
equation at low ionicstrength has been amply tested andthe charges
on the reactant ions arewell-known if the reagents areproperly
characterized.

ANDREW (cont'd; V.O.)Ooh. Do you see that?
That'simportant. Willow and Kennedy havebeen in kind of a bad
place lately,but things are looking up.

Andrew sets his camera on the table (which we may see is littered with
pizza boxes) so he can talk to it without having to hold it.

He settles into a chair to address it.

ANDREWYou see, Kennedy pursued thereluctant Willow and won
her heart,only to find herself frightened whenshe glimpsed the
darkness that stilldwells within the witch's mind. Sidenote: I
once had my own personalencounter with Dark Willow...

INT. MAGIC BOX - NIGHT

This scene is composed of new material featuring Andrew and Jonathan
cut together with existing material from last year's episode "Two To Go."
The existing material is indicated in bold.

Willow spots Jonathan and Andrew, right where we last left them.

WILLOWJonathan. Andrew.

Shot of Jonathan and Andrew, in front of an interior wall of the Magic
Box. Jonathan looks frightened, but Andrew looks brave.

WILLOW (cont'd)You boys like Magicks, don't
you?

Willow raises her hand above her head and the light around her goes
dark - she says simply:

WILLOW (cont'd)Abra Cadabra.

Willow blasts the boys with a Death Spell so horrifying it changes the
color of the air around them...

ANDREWYou, Dark Willow, wield a force ofmighty evil, it is
true, but you arenew to the game, little one.

From later in the scene:

WILLOWSo which one of you worked the mojo?

JONATHANUm... both of us. We're both very,very extremely
strong.

Andrew smiles gently.

ANDREW(to Willow)You and I know that's not true. I
amyour match, little one. I am the oneyou fear. Care to try my
mettleagain?

WILLOWYou know what they say - if at firstyou don't
succeed...

As Jonathan cowers...

JONATHANHoly cats here it comes again.

She BLASTS the guys again.

Andrew deflects it even more casually this time, with an idle wave of
his hand. Jonathan is looking at him worshipfully. Practically yawning,
Andrew says:

ANDREWI deflect thy power.

WILLOWDamn, that is one effective counter-spell.

ANDREWThank you, little one. Thank you.

INT. SUMMERS' HOUSE - DINING ROOM - DAY

Back to Andrew, sitting in a chair, looking at his camera, which rests
on the table in front of him.

ANDREWShe was something. Indeed she was.

He listens...

ANDREW (cont'd)Hey, I think Buffy's done talking.That
usually means she had to go towork. Let's see what those
littlelocusts left for breakfast, shall we?

And he heads back into the kitchen.

INT. SUNNYDALE HIGH SCHOOL - HALLWAY - MORNING, LATER

Buffy enters from outside, hurrying toward her office, trying to beat
the bell. Scattered students dot the hallway.

BUFFY(to herself)Not late. Not late 'til the
bellrings...

Buffy slows when she notices a SHY GIRL standing alone and ignored by
others around her. The Shy Girl starts FADING OUT, disappearing.

BUFFY (cont'd)Uh-oh.

Buffy steps toward where the girl is disappearing fast.

BUFFY (cont'd)Hey! Hey, shy girl! Don't do this!

And the girl disappears. Last resort, Buffy SLAPS where the girl was.
(We hear it make contact.) The girl is suddenly visible again. She stares
at Buffy, hand to her cheek.

SHY GIRLYou knew I was there! You noticed me!

BUFFYYes. I did, it's okay, I--

Buffy is almost knocked over by a CRYING GIRL running out of the girl's
room.

BUFFY (cont'd)(to Crying Girl)What's wrong?

CRYING GIRLThe mirror said I was fat! It
saidit!

Still crying, the girl runs on. Buffy's about to go into the girl's
room when she notices a STRESSED-OUT BOY down the hall, standing with
three of his friends.

STRESSED-OUT BOY(stressed-out)So not only does Mr.
Hildebrand moveup the trig exam to today, but healso makes it
cover three morechapters and I've got an Englishpaper due
tomorrow! I feel like I'mgonna explode.

Buffy hurries to him and his group.

BUFFYI heard you. I can help.(to his friends)Someone
give this boy a foot massage,okay?

WOODTell me you're using that excitingbad-is-good street
language of thelast forty years.

BUFFYThings are, sort of, coming true.Like, all the hidden
feelings of highschool. You know, like, I'm fat oreveryone's
looking at me, or no one'slooking at me...

WOODI don't understand.

BUFFYI've been at this school a lot longerthan you have. I've
seen it before,just never all at once. Someonefeels something in
here and beforeyou know it, stuff is happening anddeath is popping
out all over.

INT. SUMMERS' HOUSE - BASEMENT - DAY

VIDEO. Andrew back in front of the "big board." He nods wisely and
points to the high school.

ANDREW(mouthing)Hellmouth.

He points to the drawing of the demon.

ANDREW (cont'd)(mouthing)Grrr.

INT. SUNNYDALE HIGH - PRINCIPAL WOOD'S OFFICE - CONTINUINUOUS

Continuation of previous scene. Buffy and Wood.

WOODI haven't heard of any problems today.

BUFFYIt's starting small, but unless we dosomething, you're
gonna have a riot.

WOODA riot?

BUFFYYeah. Because the students feel likethe teachers are out
to get them.And the chess club resents the Frenchclub for taking
the activities room.And everybody hates the cheerleaders.Being in
high school can feel likebeing at war... and now it's true.

WOODI don't know about this--

SFX: SMALL EXPLOSION at a distance

WOOD (cont'd)What was that?

BUFFYI hate to say it. But I think thatwas the sound of an
explodingfreshman.

OMITTED

END OF ACT ONE

Act Two

INT. SUMMERS' HOUSE - DINING
ROOM/FOYER/LIVING ROOM - DAY

VIDEO FOOTAGE of Dawn in the dining room, close, smiling for the
camera.

ANDREW (V.O.)Dawn is a typical American teenager.Bubbly
and sweet with a hunger forfun and a smile that lights up theroom.

DAWNHello.

ANDREW (V.O.)Dawn used to be a key.

The camera swings to find a key, sitting on the dining room table to
serve as an illustration.

ANDREW (cont'd; V.O.)I don't really know what that
means.

OUT OF VIDEO. Dawn and Andrew and the camera and the key.

DAWNIs that all you needed me for?

ANDREWYes. Thank you. You're the best.

Dawn exits and Andrew turns the camera on himself again.

VIDEO FOOTAGE... close on Andrew.

ANDREW (cont'd)I imagine that some of you gentleviewers
are wondering more about thelifestyle of a Slayer. Where doesshe
live? How does she live?

The camera swings, to show us Buffy's dining room. We see dirty dishes
on the table... remains of last night's pizza.

OUT OF VIDEO

Andrew moves through the room, pointing the camera as he talks.

ANDREWThis is the Slayer dining room. Wewere here before,
but let's take agood look. As you can see, it's theroom of a busy
woman. Too busy tocook. Too busy to clean. She'sreally
busy.

Into the foyer...

ANDREW (cont'd)This is the foyer of the Slayer.
Shecalls it an entryway. She's a modestwoman.

WOODWe've got to find out more about thisthing. Have you ever
really studiedit... gotten close?

He kneels down to examine the markings on the Seal. His head is down,
we don't see his face during the following exchange:

BUFFYI know it's a goat's head with itstongue out. Willow
did a search forthat in the symbology data bases.Turns out
everyone loves goat'stongue... covens and rock groups andGreek
cookbooks. She said shecouldn't narrow it down.

WOODAnd you trust her?

BUFFYWhat? Why wouldn't I trust her?

WOODI don't see why any of you shouldtrust each other. You've
all beenevil at some point, right?

Wood stands and turns to face her, furious, threatening. He takes a
step toward her. His eyes are CLOUDED, BLIND (contacts, not CGI) - It's a
startling and scary moment, as he growls:

WOOD (cont'd)You're with the vampire. Screwingthe vampire.
The monster thatkilled--

Buffy grabs Wood and pulls him off the Seal. He collapses to the
ground.

BUFFYRobin! Are you okay?

He looks up. His eyes are normal now.

WOODWhoa. What happened?

BUFFYYou were... I think it wascontrolling you.

WOODWe have to get rid of this Seal.Shut it down. Before it
drives thewhole town crazy or starts disgorgingan army.

They hear a SCUFFLING and a SNUFFLING. They stare at the Seal.

BUFFYWhat's that noise?

WOODIf it's about to disgorge an army itsounds like a tiny
one.

They listen, then turn around in time to see THE LITTLE UNSLAUGHTERED
PIG scamper past in the background, disappearing out of sight.

WOOD (cont'd)God, I hope that's not a student.

INT. SUMMERS' HOUSE - BASEMENT - DAY

All VIDEO. Spike is lounging about, wearing his coat and smoking a
cigarette.

He looks at camera, realizes he's being taped. He flicks the butt
toward the lens and closes in, furious.

SPIKEThought I told you to piss bloody offwith that bloody
camera. 'N here youare again with that thing in my face.Sod off
'fore I shove that bleedin'thing up your ass, right?

ANDREW (O.C.)Um... Spike... the light was kindabehind you..

SPIKE(suddenly reasonable)Right.

Spike takes a few steps to one side.

SPIKE (cont'd)This better here, then?

INT. SUMMERS' HOUSE - LIVING ROOM - DAY

Xander and Anya sit on the sofa, talking intimately.

ANYAYou keep ducking the question.

XANDERI don't mean to. Anyway, you werethe one who didn't want
to keepseeing each other.

ANYAPlease, stop this. Just tell me.Are you saying you still
love me?

XANDEROf course I still love you. I alwayswill. I just don't
know if thatmeans anything for us anymore.

ANYAI love you too. And I don't know ifthat means anything
either.

He smiles at her.

XANDERWell, it's nice to hear.

ANYAAnd, the thing is, I miss you.

XANDERI'm right here.

ANYAIt's not the same. I miss having youhere, in my head. There
was alwaysthis little part of my brain thatwas... aware of you,
you know? Like,noticing things to tell you later, orwondering what
you were doing rightthen. And that part's all empty now.

ANDREWJonathan? It'll be a while. He'sgot a shy
bladder.(calling loudly)Jonathan, you okay?

JONATHAN (O.S.)(muffled)Don't talk to me! I'm fine!

Andrew opens the box, to reveal a glittering KNIFE. (It's the one we
saw him kill Jonathan with. Something is carved into the metal blade in a
flowing script in an alien language.

ANDREWPretty knife. Except... thestabbing... I don't think
I can doit. Jonathan has been a good friendto me here in Mexico.
He said he'llbuy me a burro.

WARREN/FIRSTYou can stab him. It's all part ofthe plan. That
boy's blood is apowerful tribute. It's a gift tosomething very
big, very important.And ultimately it won't even hurthim! We get a
reward, you and me andhim too.

ANDREWWe live as gods.

WARREN/FIRSTThat's right, man. The trio. Livin'as
gods.

Andrew cocks his head with a dreamy look as he imagines that...

EXT. FANTASY MEADOW - DAY

Warren, Andrew and Jonathan caper like Gods in a fake-looking meadow.
They're surrounded by big garish flowers and piles of gold coins a foot
tall. A UNICORN paws the ground adorably, if we can find one. The boys
wear white togas edged in gold, and golden wreaths on their heads. Andrew
holds his pan-flute, Warren has a lyre, Jonathan has a Greek- looking jug
of wine.

ANDREW(singing)We are as Gods! We are as Gods!

Warren and Jonathan sing along, joyous and badly out of unison.

INT. MEXICAN HACIENDA - NIGHT

As before. Warren is talking to Andrew.

WARREN/FIRSTThere is power in that knife. Drivethe words
deep into him. It's theonly way for us to get our reward.

KENNEDYSo she says "everyone get ready togo." And I'm
thinking, great, I'mready, I've been training. Turns outshe's not
taking me or my girls. Noteven taking Willow. You know whoshe's
taking? The men. And you,Andrew. All the girls get leftbehind. You
wouldn't think Buffy'dplay it like that. She's not turningout like
I thought she'd be.

Buffy, Spike, Wood and Andrew stand just inside the front door of the
school. It appears empty and calm.

They walk in a little farther. Andrew has his video camera. Buffy has a
bag (with the knife inside).

They're far enough in to look down a hallway now...

They're appalled by what they see. Graffiti scrawled on the walls. "no
one gets out alive" and "marching band rules!" and "die, cheerleaders,
die."

A few trash cans are scattered, on fire.

Torn books and broken desks litter the floor, some also on fire.

BUFFY(to Wood)Remember that riot that almosthappened
today?

WOODLooks to me like it happened afterall.

They hear running furtive footsteps... and a BOTTLE SMASHES AGAINST a
wall near them.

SPIKELooks to me like it's still happening.

Buffy steps forward, then looks back to see... Andrew, talking into his
camera.

ANDREWIt feels like four against the world,gentle viewers,
as we step into thebelly of the beast.

VIDEO FOOTAGE -- close on Andrew:

ANDREW (cont'd)Only the knowledge that the slayer
isamongst us calms our anxious nerves,for we know she would allow
no harm--

The image falls apart as Buffy roughly grabs Andrew by the collar,
pulling him after her.

ANDREW (O.C.)Ow!

END OF ACT THREE

Act Four

INT. SUMMERS' HOUSE - BASEMENT - NIGHT

Anya and Xander lie on Spike's cot, all naked shoulders and post-coital
laxness. They look quite pleased with themselves. The bracket for Spike's
chains is still attached to the wall, but the chains are gone.

XANDERWell.

ANYAWell, well.

XANDERThat was nice.

ANYAIt certainly was, you carpenter you.

XANDER(re: bracket)Too bad Buffy took Spike's chainsdown.

ANYAYou said it.

Long beat.

ANYA (cont'd)Did you feel... like we used to feel?

XANDERI felt good.

ANYAWell, yes. I'm a spitfire in thebedroom. But did it feel...
like weused to feel?

XANDERIt was different.

ANYAI guess we should expect that. We'redifferent now.

XANDERYeah.(beat)There wasn't that... I don't know...

ANYAThat feeling.

XANDERRight.

ANYAYeah.

XANDERDoes this mean we're really over?

ANYAI guess it does.

Beat.

ANYA (cont'd)I should get dressed.

She moves to get up. Xander stops her.

XANDERNot yet. I don't want it to be overyet. Can't you
stay a little longer?

ANYASo we can do what? Pretend this isstill us? Pretend it's
not over andwe still feel something we don't?

XANDERYeah. Pretend that exact thing.Just for a little while.

ANYAOkay.

And she lays her head on his chest. They're smiling sadly.

INT. SUNNYDALE HIGH SCHOOL - HALLWAY - NIGHT

Buffy, Spike, Wood and Andrew are where we left them, looking at the
wreckage and chaos in front of them. They walk cautiously farther into the
school.

Spike and Wood are near each other.

SPIKE(to Wood)Nice way to run a school. There'sgotta
be kids injured in here.

WOODYeah. Easy pickings for likes ofyou, huh?

SPIKEHey. Here to help, you know.

WOODRight.

Andrew, lagging behind, whispers to his camera:

VIDEO FOOTAGE -- On Andrew.

ANDREWCheck out Spike and the Principal.There's something
going on there.(confidingly)Sexual tension you could cut with
aknife.

VOICE (O.C.)Hey!

OUT OF VIDEO

Buffy, Spike, Wood and Andrew stop at the bottom of the main staircase.
A tattered student, hair matted, face painted with charcoal, crouches on
the staircase (is there an architectural post of some kind he could crouch
on?). He looks like a FERAL TEEN from a Thunderdome-y movie. He is the
owner of the VOICE we just heard.

FERAL TEENDo you belong to us?

BUFFYUm... what?

FERAL TEENAre you of the marching band or theswing choir?

ANDREW(to Buffy , helpfully)I tried out for swing choir once.

BUFFYWe are of the marching band.

The teen considers this. Then:

FERAL TEENYou may pass in safety.

Buffy leads her little group past the base of the staircase, deeper
into danger.

OMITTED37THRU40

INT. SUNNYDALE HIGH SCHOOL - HALLWAY - NIGHT

Buffy, Spike, Wood and Andrew are walking through a hallway now --
locker doors are torn from their hinges. More books and desks and flags
and firecans are lying around.

SPIKEThese kids went nuts, din't they.

WOODShh. They're still here.

BUFFYI can hear them. Are they in theclassrooms?

As Wood passes a classroom door, a MALE STUDENT, crazed and
war-painted, bursts out of it and SLAMS him across the face with a
detached locker door.

WOODAhhh!

ANDREWPrincipal Wood!

BUFFYRobin!

Buffy grabs the student and THROWS HIM AGAINST THE WALL. He sinks to
the ground, stunned. Buffy touches the injury to Wood -- a cut forehead.

Spike notices and his jaw clenches.

SIX MORE STUDENTS (crazed and war-painted) emerge from the room, all
brandishing weapons.

VIDEO FOOTAGE:

Andrew is running away, holding the camera, so what we see are his own
running feet for a while...

The feet duck around a corner. The image blurs and swings wildly...
finally settling on a view around the corner back at the others.

Buffy, Wood and Spike are fighting the six students: Wood has the
locker door now, and uses it against a student.

Spike is taking on two of them, wresting a flaming torch from one of
them and using the butt of it to slam the other one while bloodying the
nose of the first one with his elbow.

OUT OF VIDEO

Buffy is keeping an eye on Spike while she fights the other three
students. She knocks one out with a punch. He falls and pins one of his
friends to the floor while Buffy kicks his friend into one of the now
gaping lockers.

BUFFYSpike! Don't kill them! They'rejust kids!

INT. SUMMERS' HOUSE - KITCHEN - DAY

ALL VIDEO

Amanda and Rona talk to the camera.

RONAThe thing about Buffy? Is thateverything's
about Buffy. She thinksthe world revolves around her tinylittle
body.

AMANDAShe is the Slayer. She's gonna savethe world.

RONAYep. All by herself. Because shewants it that way.

INT. SUYNYDALE HIGH SCHOOL - HALLWAY - CONTINUOUS

Buffy, Andrew, Spike and Wood run through another hallway to the
doorway to the basement stairs. Andrew is taping the others.

Buffy opens the door, starts to head down. The others move to follow.

BUFFYSpike. Wood. I need you to stayhere. Keep the way
clear for ourretreat.

WOODYou think more kids'll find us?

SPIKEThey're smelling blood now. They'llfind us.

ANDREW(to Buffy )Can I stay with... (off her look, to
themen)I'll be with Buffy.

INT. SUNNYDALE HIGH - STAIRS/BASEMENT - NIGHT

Buffy and Andrew make their way down the stairs, alert for danger.
Andrew is pointing the camera around, narrating again.

ANDREWWe make our way down the stairscarefully, alert for
any danger.

Buffy whirls on him and RIPS THE CAMERA AWAY FROM HIM.

BUFFYStop it!

ANDREWBut I was just--

BUFFYNo more.

They continue down the stairs.

ANDREWI just want the world to see what youdo.

BUFFYWhat I do is too important to takethe time to show it to
the world.

ANDREWYeah, well, see, about that? We justkeep tossing that
word around. Butthat's not really what happened.

BUFFYWhat? You stabbed Jonathan to death!What were you trying
to do, scratchhis back from the front?

ANDREWWell, see, it was confusing.Jonathan and I were digging,
butWarren was there, and only I couldsee him...

And we go into Andrew's fantasy version of the Death of Jonathan:

INT. SUNNYDALE HIGH BASEMENT - ANDREW'S VERSION ONE

It's as we saw it the first time. Jonathan is standing, shovel in hand,
on the uncovered Seal -- dirt still piled high around it. And Warren/First
is standing behind Jonathan, looking at Andrew. But this time...

Jonathan is digging for the Seal as before. Warren stands behind him.
And Andrew is looking at Jonathan with MILKY BLIND EYES.

JONATHAN...that's why I'm doing this.

ANDREWDie! Die! Die!

He stabs Jonathan, and watches Jonathan fall to the ground. Andrew's
eyes are normal again, and he looks confused.

ANDREW (cont'd)What have I done?

DRAMATIC PULL-BACK AS ANDREW YELLS to the heavens. Warren is gone now
-- Andrew stands alone over the body.

ANDREW (cont'd)(Charlton Heston-y)Get Out Of My
Brain!!!

INT. SUNNYDALE HIGH SCHOOL - BASEMENT - NIGHT

Buffy and Andrew walk through the basement. Buffy is still carrying the
camera (having taken it from Andrew on the stairs).

BUFFYYou just completely changed yourstory!

ANDREWDid not!

BUFFYYou did so!

ANDREWDid-- hey look, we're here.

They are at the entrance to the room containing the Seal.

They enter the room to find...

The FIVE STUDENTS standing between them and the Seal... all looking
toward the Seal. They turn to look at the intruders... and they all have
EYES LIKE THE BRINGERS. Andrew steps behind Buffy.

BUFFYSo now I know where little Bringerscome
from.

INT. SUNNYDALE HIGH SCHOOL - HALLWAY - NIGHT

Spike and Wood are in the hallway containing the door to the basement
stairs. They're scouting out the closest doorways and hallway
intersections, looking for threats. Discarded weapons lie on the floor
here and there.

SPIKEWonder what's keepin' em. Thoughtthey'd be up by
now.

Spike picks up a two-by-four with a few long nails driven through it.
He looks at it.

The men fight back. Wood uses the weapon he's holding, careful to hit
his opponents with the non-nail side of the board. Spike uses his bare
fists.

As they fight, MORE STUDENTS arrive and ring the fighters... ready to
jump in.

Wood and Spike are fighting near each other. At one point Wood has laid
out his opponent, but Spike is still punching a student. Wood moves behind
Spike and raises his weapon -- the nail side toward Spike.

Wood is PUNCHED by another student and has to fight back. The
opportunity is lost.

INT. SUNNYDALE HIGH SCHOOL - BASEMENT - NIGHT

Buffy and Andrew face FIVE students with BRINGER-EYES.

Buffy sets Andrew's camera on the ground and her bag, freeing her hands
for the fight.

BUFFY(to Andrew)Stay back.

Andrew backs into the doorway as the STUDENT-BRINGERS move toward
Buffy.

One of them PUNCHES at her, but she ducks. Then another one grabs her
from behind, pinning her arms. Buffy kicks out at the others...

Andrew watches the fight. Then he notices the camera, sitting abandoned
on the ground. He picks it up and films the fight...

VIDEO FOOTAGE:

Buffy fights the student-bringers. One of them throws her to the
ground. She KICKS his knee, sending him to the ground on top of her. As
another one closes in, Buffy LAUNCHES the dead weight of the injured
student straight up at the new attacker, sending both of them flying back.

ANDREW (V.O.)She is like a woman fighting for morethan
life. She fights like fightingis life. It is the air she
breathes,and she knows she will win becausethere is no
alternative.

Buffy leaps to her feet and knocks out two of the other student
bringers with a simultaneous kick-and-punch. The one remaining conscious
student flees.

Then she's in the lens.

BUFFYIt's your turn, Andrew.

OUT OF VIDEO

Andrew puts down the camera.

Buffy gets the knife from her bag.

Andrew reaches for it.

ANDREWSo we figure what? I stand on theSeal and hold the
knife and like,command it to stop glowing? InTawarick?

Buffy doesn't hand Andrew the knife. Instead she puts it to his throat.
She is cold and dangerous.

ANDREWBlood opens it. You don't want toopen it. Opening it
would be bad.

BUFFYWell, we looked into that. Seems theblood of the man that
awoke it...you... that's a different kind ofdeal. Reverses the
whole thing.

ANDREWHow... how much blood are yougonna...?

BUFFYI don't know. Maybe not enough tokill you.

Andrew considers his options.

ANDREWI could cleanse myself with a smallamount of my own
blood. A man whobuys back his own bruised soul withthe blood of
his heart--

Buffy digs the knife into his neck.

BUFFYStop that! Stop telling stories!Life is not a story!

ANDREWSorry, sorry.

BUFFYShut up. You always do that, makeeverything into a story
so no one'sresponsible for anything because it'sjust like,
following some script.Life isn't a story. Life is a bunchof stuff
that we choose to do.You're not a tragic hero. You're aguy who
killed his friend. And I'mnot some--I don't know half as muchas
you think I do. I'm making it up.And I don't like having to give
abunch of speeches about how we canall come through this thing if
wework together, because wecan't.People are going
to die. Girls.Maybe me. Probably you. Probablyright now.

Andrew is close to tears.

ANDREWDon't... please...

Buffy pulls him over to Seal and bends him back over it, his neck and
head over the Seal. The knife is still digging into his neck.

BUFFYWhen a river of your blood pours out,Andrew, it might
save the world.What do you think of that? Does itmake you a
world-saver? Does it buyit all back? Are you a hero redeemed?

ANDREWNo.

Andrew starts to cry.

ANDREW (cont'd)Because I killed him. Because Ilistened to
Warren and I pretendedthat I thought it was him. But Iknew it
wasn't. And I killedJonathan. And you're going to killme and I'm
afraid and I'm going todie. And this is what Jonathan felt.

A TEAR rolls down Andrew's face. It falls...

INSERT: The tear falls through the air. The tear lands on the Seal.

THE SEAL STOPS GLOWING.

Buffy lowers the limp and helpless Andrew to the ground.

ANDREW (cont'd)It stopped...

BUFFYIt didn't want your blood. It wantedyour tears.

Buffy helps Andrew stand up. She is being gentler with him than she
ever has. His voice is still choked with tears.

ANDREWThanks.

BUFFYThat's okay. I'm sorry I had to...

They head toward the door.

ANDREWDid you know it was the tears? Ordid you really
think it was blood andthen you saw that the tears worked?

Buffy gives him a little smile.

BUFFYI just told you, I usually don't knowas much as you
think I do.

Buffy turns to exit.

46 OMITTED

INT. SUNNYDALE HIGH - HALLWAY - TOP OF STAIRS - NIGHT

Spike and Wood are still locked in battle, each with a student, while
others watch.

Suddenly, all the students stop fighting and wander away.

Spike and Wood look at each other.

WOODShe got it done.

SPIKEAlways has.

WOODSo far.

INT. SUMMERS' HOUSE - BATHROOM - NIGHT

And suddenly we're back in Buffy's bathroom. Andrew is on the closed
toilet again. He talks to his camera.

VIDEO FOOTAGE:

ANDREWHello, gentle viewers. Here's thething. I killed my
best friend.There's a big fight coming up and Ithink I'm going to
die. And I guessthat's how it should be.